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Start Stop

A new report from the Department of Energy predicts that gasoline will still be the fuel of choice for a vast majority of the auto industry over 25 years from now, although it will be slightly less dominant than it is today.

Ford has gone all-in on its efforts to offer most of its new vehicles with a fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine, but the automaker is reportedly preparing to take another big step toward improving vehicle efficiency. Automotive News is reporting that Ford will soon expand the availability of start-stop technology, which was first offered – presumably the first non-hybrid vehicle, that is – on the 2013 Fusion (equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine) as a $295 option.

One of the most recent yet notable additions to the modern vehicle's growing suite of fuel-saving technologies is the humble start-stop system. It's rather simple - when the vehicle is stopped, the engine shuts off. It then fires back up when the driver starts to take his foot off the brake or step on the clutch. For one of the most important fuel sippers of the year, though, start-stop tech is a no-go.

We know that start-stop technology – which shuts down a car's engine when the car comes to a halt – is going to be available in more and more vehicles. BMW, Mercedes and Porsche already have the technology on non-hybrid vehicles and Jaguar and Kia will introduce it soon. Ford, too, is adding start-stop to non-hybrid models for a modest fee. In the 2013 Fusion (pictured), it costs just $295. But how many vehicles soon get all quiet at red lights? Around 8 million in North American by

When the 2013 Ford Fusion goes on sale this fall, it will be the first mid-size family sedan in North America to be offered with start-stop technology. But since not all buyers are open to the idea of having their engines turn off at stop lights to save fuel, Ford will be offering it as optional equipment, and the automaker has now announced that the stand-alone feature will cost $295.

When the 2013 Ford Fusion goes on sale this fall, it will be the first mid-size family sedan in North America to be offered with start-stop technology. But since not all buyers are open to the idea of having their engines turn off at stop lights to save fuel, Ford will be offering it as optional equipment, and the automaker has now announced that the stand-alone feature will cost $295.

Given the multifaceted approach to making more efficient vehicles favored by Ford, an automaker that employs everything from EcoBoost to hybrids, pure electrics to less thirsty gas models – it's not that surprising to learn that the company is announcing that it is expanding use of start-stop technology to more U.S. vehicles in 2012. Start-stop, you'll recall, is a technology that allows an engine to shut off automatically at stop lights to avoid wasting fuel while idling. As far as the gr

Given the multifaceted approach to making more efficient vehicles favored by Ford, an automaker that employs everything from EcoBoost to hybrids, pure electrics to less thirsty gas models – it's not that surprising to learn that the company is announcing that it is expanding use of stop-start technology to more U.S. vehicles in 2012. Stop-start, you'll recall, is a technology that allows an engine to shut off automatically at stop lights to avoid wasting fuel while idling. As far as the gr

Continental AG has teamed up with Maxwell Technologies to make their booster module more convenient and efficient. Called an E-booster, the new module is part of PSA Peugeot Citroën's mild-hybrid system, called e-HDI. Maxwell technologies is supplying their Boostcap ultracapacitors to Continental AG for the new module. Ultracapacitors have an ideal characteristic – power density – needed in a mild-hybrid system. With the new E-booster, a diesel engine can be restarted in 400 mil

No one is saying start-stop technology like the kind found in electric and hybrid vehicles isn't a great idea. We just told you about how BMW's 320d EfficientDynamics model is able to squeeze over 1000 miles out of a tank of diesel in part due to start-stop tech, for example. It's awesome, no doubt.

It seems that it's not just Europeans who are getting green (or blue) labels for virtually every model of the road. We recently reported that Volkswagen has taken the BlueMotion badge to Brazil and that the Smart fortwo is being put on sale there. Well, it looks like Citroën has had the same idea and has unveiled a new model for the Brazilian market: the Xsara Picasso compact minivan, which is going to get the green label of "Eco" (not Airdream as in Europe). What's the Xsara Picasso got g

German automotive supplier Bosch has announced that it has provided nearly half a million start/stop systems for BMW and Mini since launching the system. Bosch also announced that three additional manufacturers will introduce its technology withing the next few months. If you didn't know, Start/Stop technology allows the engine to shut down when the car is not moving, for instance, during traffic jams or at red traffic lights. When the gear is engaged or the accelerator pedal is pressed, the eng

Considering all of the work that Renault is doing with fuel cells and pure electric vehicles, it can be slightly deflating to remember that there are still a lot of gas-using vehicles to be sold before those alternatives are available. The good news, out today from Automotive News Europe (subs req'd), is that the company is now saying they will bring the micro hybrid system called start-stop to every model sold in Europe by 2010. Start-stop technology shuts down the motor down when the vehicle i

Porsche, like every other automaker under the sun, is under pressure to produce vehicles with improved fuel efficiency that emits less CO2. The current 911 puts out 225 g/km of CO2, but Porsche believes that it can hack another 10 g/km off that figure with the implementation of start-stop technology on its flat-six engines. Not so fast, say Porschephiles. According to the automaker, buyers aren't fond of such a feature on their arse-engined performance machines. Porsche didn't cite the reasons b

We already mentioned PSA's plans to downsize engines in an effort to improve fuel efficiency. The French company will showcase the progress its making during PREDIT (National Program for Terrestrial Transport Innovation), which is taking place this week in Paris. PSA will show a prototype co-developed with Valeo and IFP (the teams behind the low-carbon Smart). The prototype is a Citroën C2 with a two-cylinder engine, 8 valves and a mild-hybrid system with Stop&Start and regenerative bra

Micro hybrid. Start-stop. Whatever we call it, people like it. The micro hybrid system, currently available in cars like the Smart fortwo and through aftermarket suppliers like Ricardo, is preferred by three out of four drivers, the UK's Motorpoint car supermarket group found in a recent survey. This technology is cheap to implement (compared to full hybrid systems) and is available today, but isn't exactly widespread. Only Citroen, BMW and Mini offer it on non-hybrid vehicles. Motorpoint found